Justin Cantwell, a junior, leaped to a height of 6-foot, 3-inches in the high jump. By hitting that height, he broke the old record of 6-foot. The old record had stood since 1979, according to the record board at New England school.

Cantwell also qualified for state after surpassing the qualifying height of 6-foot, 2-inches.

“He deserves it so much because he’s put so much time in it and he’s never given up on it,” said Jordyn Mason, an assistant with the New England track and field team. “The kid is so deserving of it because he’s worked so hard this season.”

The other athlete who’s close to putting her name in the record books is freshmen Shellee Kathrein. Though she didn’t break the record, she did tie it after hitting a mark of 4-foot, 11-inches multiplet times throughout the season. State qualifying height is set at 5-foot, 1-inch.

Mason said she expects her to get over the record in the near future, she’s only a freshman and still has time to fine tune her skill and get physically stronger.

“She still has time to get where Justin is,” she said.

But both Kathrein and Cantwell have inspired more jumpers on the team, and younger athletes have been encouraged to add the event to their repertoire after seeing their successes.

“They’re both just crazy good athletes on their own,” Mason said. “We’re getting a lot of kids watching these two.”

The team now has six athletes in grades eighth through 12th competing in the event.

Mason said the season has been great. Though they only have Cantwell competing at the state meet, she said many of the athletes have broken personal records throughout the season.

The team is only losing two seniors to graduation, so next year they could essentially return the same squad.